Fire-extinguisher.



No. 766,232. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904,

l S. ERB & W. E. MORELL.

FIRE BXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1904.

No MODEL. 2 sBBBTssHL-Bf: 1,

A TTORNE Y PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

S. ERB n W. E. MORBLL.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1904.

2 SHBETS-SHBBT 2.

N0 MODEL.

/NVEA/ ToRS BY (ff J W ATTORNEY i UNITED v STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT EETCE.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,232, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed April '7, 1904.

To /LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SAMUEL ERB, a citizen of the United States of America, and VILLIAM ERNEST MORELL, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, both residents of the town of Chemainus, district of Cowichan and Province of British Columbia, Canada, have invented Veertain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Extinguishers, of which the following' is a specification.

This invention relates to safety iire devices, and has for its objects, first, to indicate the temperature of a room; second, to regulate said temperature; third, to sound a warning when the temperature varies beyond certain definite limits; fourth, to sound a local alarm when the heat approaches a dangerous limit; fifth, to turn on live steam into said room if the temperature exceeds said dangerous limit; sixth, to turn off the Ventilating-fines, so as to smother the fire; seventh, to turn on a stream of water if the temperature continues to rise; and eighth, to sound a general alarm. le attain these objects by the devices and meehanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is avertical longitudinal section of a kiln equipped with our apparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof, said section being taken on a plane just above the expansion-pipe. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the operating portion of the apparatus. Fig. e is an enlarged section of the end of the weight-shelf, and Fig. 5 is a plan of the water-sprinkling pipes.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Ve have illustrated our invention as applied to a kiln 1, heated by means of steam-pipes 2, placed in any convenient position therein. To the roof of said kiln 1 is suspended the metal rod or pipe 3, preferably made of brass. The inner end of this pipe 3 is supported by the hanger 4 and is rigidly held from moving therein by the nuts on the pipe 3 and engaging the hanger 4. rlhe other supports for the pipe 3 are simply loops 6, adapted to support its weight, but to allow it to move longitudinally with perfect freedom. The pipe 3 is Serial No. 201,958. (No model.)

made in sections of any convenient length, and the sections are joined together by the fusible couplings 7, made of such metal as will melt when the temperature rises to a certain dangerous point. The pipe 3 passes through the end wall of the kiln 1, and to this end are secured the various devices whereby the objects of our invention are attained. To the outside of this wall is secured, directly below the pipe 3, the horizontal shelf 8, extending' at right angles to the pipe 3 and adapted to support various weights in the manner described below. Extending out from the wall at the same level as the shelf 8 and to one side of the pipe 3 is the arm 9, carrying at its extremity the pulley l() in line with the pipe 3.

The pipe 3 extends out from the wall and has a hook 11 secured to its end adapted to engage the wire cable 12, passing' over the pulley 10 and supporting the weight 13 at its end in such a manner that the weight will always be pulling the pipe 3 toward the pulley 10. As the temperature in the kiln varies the pipe 3 will vary in length, lifting' the weight 13 if it cools and lowering it if it becomes warmer. The length ofthe pipe depends directly on the temperature of the kiln, and therefore by attaching' a pointer 14 to the pipe 3 and a temperature-scale 15 to the arm 9 and by adjusting the pointer on the pipe to point to the proper temperature on said scale the temperature of the kiln will be indicated at any time.

We have shown the kiln 1 as heated by means of the steam-pipes 2, the steam coming from the main pipe 16 and entering the kiln through the central pipe 17, having the gatevalve 18 therein. A lug 19 is adjustably secured to the pipe 3 and is adapted to engage the bell-crank 20, pivoted to the arm 9. The bell-crank has its upper arm formed into a Y shape, and the lug 19 engages loosely between the prongs thereof. r1`he other end of the bell-crank is connected by means of the link 21, having a turnbuekle 22 therein, with the lever 23 of the gate-valve 18. In this way the temperature of the kiln is automatically controlled, the movements of the pipe 3 acting through the bell-crank 20, the link 21,

and the lever 23 to control the opening of the gate-valve 18, and therefore the temperathe buttons 28 and 29 to the battery repre-i sented at 31, which may be located at any convenient place, and to the electric bells 32 and 33, preferably made to sound in dierent tones. The spring contact-piece 26 is connected to the bell 32 by the wire 34 and the spring contact-piece 27 to the bell 33 by the wire 35. If the temperature increases too high, the pipe expands, so that the lug 24 presses the spring 26 against the button 28, forming a complete electric circuit by the wires 30 and 34 through the bell 32, which therefore rings a warning that the temperature has risen too high. Similarly when the temperature falls too low the lug 25 presses the spring 27 against the button 29, forming a circuit by the wires 30 and 35 through the bell 33, which therefore rings a warning that the temperature has fallen too low. The springs 26 and 27 bend freely, so as not to interfere with the movement of the lugs 24 and 25. The bells 32 and 33 may be set up in any desired place and may be duplicated in sets in several places-such as in the office-building, the boiler-room, or the engine-roomvand are readily distinguishable on account of their different tones.

The cross-head 36 is secured to the pipe 3 by means of the nuts on each side of it and rests on the-shelf 8 and slides thereon when the pipe 3 expands or contracts. In this crosshead 36 are screwed the set-screws 37 at Various intervals therein and adapted to engage and to push off the shelf the hereinafter described weighted bars. The length of these set-screws protruding beyond the cross-head 36 can be regulated simply by screwing them in or out in the cross-head.

A series of notches 38 are made in the outside of the shelf 8, said notches having sides 39 whose upper edges are inclined, as shown in Fig. 4. In these notches 28 hang the weighted bars 40 on the roller-arms 41, engaging and supported by the inclined upper edges of the sides 39. rlhe bars 40 extend upward above the shelf 8 and support below Valve 44 of the local danger-whistle. The cable 45 connects another weight 42 with the valve 46, controlling the livesteam pipe, whereby when its'valve is opened the kiln is ooded with live steam, and thus the lire is mothered. weight 42 with the damper 48 in the ventilatorstack, preventing a draft in the kiln and aiding in smothering the fire. The cable 49 connects another weight 42 with the valye/Q, controlling the water-sprinkling pipes, and the cable 51 connects another weight 42 with the valve 52 of the main whistle of the plant. Each of the weightedb-arsi() is opposite to one of the set-screws 37 in the cross-head 36, secured to and moving with the pipe 3. lIt is evident then that the action Vof each of the weights 42 is independent of all the others, in as much as by adjusting any one of the screws 37 out farther than the other screws 37 the corresponding weighted bar 40 will be pushed on its roller-arms 41 up the inclined edge 39 and allowed to drop from the shelf 8 before any of the other weights, and therefore to act on its particular apparatus before the others act. This, however, is only'in case of a gradual increase in the temperature of the kiln, for if the temperature rises quickly and becomes sufficiently high to melt o ne of the fusible couplings 7 before the pipe 3 has expanded enough to push olf any of the weights or to ring the electric alarm then the weight 13 pulls the loosened part of the pipe suddenly forward, and thus pushes off all the weights 42 at practically the same time.

In equipping a kiln with our apparatus We prefer to construct the water-sprinkling system as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the waterpipe 53, leading from the valve 50 into the upper part of the kiln and connecting directly to the head-pipe-54, which in turn connects with the series of pipes 55, leading out of said pipe 54 and being connected together at intervals by the supplementary head-pipes 56, running parallel with the pipe 54. All these pipes we prefer to perfor-ate with holes set at an angle about forty-live degrees to the vertical, so that the small streams of water -issuingv from one pipe will intersect similar streams from the adjacent parallel pipe.

It is evident that in the arrangement of the details it is necessary to allow a Wide latitude of variation, especially in the location and arrangement of the various pipes and valves, and therefore in the connections between the weights and the valves.

Having now described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tire-protective apparatus, the combination with a fixed hanger, of an expansionpipe secured thereto and extending therefrom, a cross-head secured near the end of said expansion-pipe and having adjustable screws therethrough, and means engaged by said rlhe cable 47 connects another IOO IIO

screws whereby fire-alarm and fire-extinguishing apparatus is brought into action.

2. In a tire-protective apparatus, the combination with a fixed hanger, of an expansionpipe secured thereto and extending' therefrom said pipe being divided in sections joined by metal couplings having a low fusing-point, nieans secured to the free end of said expansion-pipe whereby it is always kept in tension, and a cross-head secured to said expansion-pipe and adapted to engage and actuate fire-alarm and tire-protective apparatus.

3. In a lire-protective apparatus, the cornbination with a fixed hanger, of an expansionpi pe secured thereto and extending therefrom, an adjustable lug secured to the free end of said expansion-pipe, a pair of spring' contactpieces adapted to be engaged and bent by said lug, a corresponding pair of stationary contact-pieces one adapted to be touched by its spring contact-piece when said pipe expands beyond a certain point and the other adapted to be touched by its springcontactpiece when said pipe contracts below a certain point, and a pair of electric circuits comprising a common source of electric energy a pair of electric bells and connecting-wires whereby either one of said bells inay be rung when said lug presses the spring contact-piece against the corresponding stationary contact-piece.

et. In a fire-protective apparatus, the combination with a fixed hanger, of an expansionpipe secured thereto and extending therefrom said pipe being' divided in sections joined by metal couplings having a low fusing-point, a exible cable secured to the end of said pipe and passing over a pulley and supporting a weight whereby said pipe is always kept in tension, a cross-head secured near the end of said expansion-pipe and adapted to engage and actuate tire-alarm and fire-extinguishing apparatus.

5. In a fire-protective apparatus, the cornbination with a fixed hanger, of an expansionpipe secured thereto and extending therefrom said pipe being divided in sections joined by metal couplings with a low fusing-point, a exible cable secured to the end of said pipe and passing' over a pulley and supporting a weight whereby said pipe is always kept in tension, a cross-head secured to said expansion-pipe, a series of weighted bars supported near said cross-head and adapted to be pushed thereby from oif their supports and to actuate tire-alarm and tire-extinguishing apparatus when one ot' said fusible couplings melts.

Signed at Cheniainus this 25th day of March, 1904.

SAMUEL ERB. l VILLIAM ERNEST MORELL.

fitnesses:

A. L. PALMER, LEWIS HILL. 

